The Loughlin family, along with the DiNatale family, have been in Wallingford for generations since the early 20th century.
The DiNatale and Loughlin families are two of the most well-known families in Wallingford. Owning local businesses, land, and having a well-known and reputable law firm in the area are just some of the roles these families play in the town. The DiNatales and Loughlins have had historic influence through the generations that have resdided here.
The DiNatales emmigrated from Italy after World War II because, as Mr. Vincenzo DiNatale Sr. explained: “My grandfather came over here from Italy after the Second World War because Italy was not a place of opportunity for his two parents and four siblings at that time. Hard work is an essential trait that helped my family become successful in this country. … They came here with no money at all.”
The Loughlins also emmigrated from Europe to the United States. “The first of my family to live in Wallingford came from Ireland in the 1800s, so we’ve been here for a while. I am the seventh generation of Loughlins to live in Wallingford, so the history is just extensive,” said Paige Loughlin ’22.
While these two families immigrated to achieve success for the future of their families, they have always been significantly involved in the town and local community. Several Choate students serve as examples of how these well-established families are fixtures of the Wallingford community. Kayce Madancy ’22, a Wallingford day student and close family friend of the Loughlins, said “My perception of them may be different to someone who isn’t a family friend, but I do know they have a lot of influence in many different branches of the Wallingford community.”
Chiara Vessichio ’22, another day student from Wallingford, had a similar experience of growing up alongside a member of a Wallingford dynasty. “I knew of the DiNatale kids because my sister went to elementary school and middle school with the eldest son of Mr. DiNatale, Vincenzo DiNatale [’19], and I have gone to school with Peter DiNatale [’21], since elementary school,” Vessichio said.
Peter DiNatale ’21 explained how in the half century they have been in the area, his family has been able to create so many connections within the Wallingford community, “Naturally, they were able to meet with a lot of different families and people who ran many small businesses in the community. My dad also served on the Town Council and owns a liquor store in Wallingford, which allowed him to meet a lot of people, whether in the council environment or the community.” He continued, “I think that my family’s hardworking nature, paired with their dedication to their businesses in Wallingford, made for plenty of opportunities to meet the families in the community.”
Loughlin attributed the Loughlins’ wide ranging relationships in town to their commitment to the community, and shared that, “The real current reason for my family’s prominence is fully credited to my grandfather and my dad. My grandfather was a prominent lawyer in town and having really intricate connections to everyone in town made him a sort of figurehead. My dad then also came back to Wallingford after school and began his own firm, effortlessly maintaining that sense of genuine connection with the town and Wallingford residents that my grandfather did.”
Mr. Dinatale Sr. explained that what gave the DiNatale family the foundation to become such a historic part of the town is an emphasis on ingenuity and overcoming seemingly insurmountable circumstances. “My grandfather and his siblings were able to get through math class at school, but anything that had to do with language, my grandfather was not able to understand. So, they were all pulled out of school and they worked, which was good. My grandfather and his siblings learned from an early age what it was like to build a business, a legacy, and a family name from a young age.”
